(a) A complaint alleging that a member of the General Assembly may have violated standards of ethical conduct, including § 2–108 of the State Government Article, may be filed with the Joint Ethics Committee by:
(1) a written statement from any person, accompanied by an affidavit, setting forth the facts on which the statement is based;
(2) motion of a majority of the membership of the Joint Ethics Committee; or
(3) referral of a matter to the Joint Ethics Committee by a presiding officer of the General Assembly as provided in § 2–706(a)(5) of the State Government Article.
(b) (1) The Joint Ethics Committee shall provide a copy of each complaint filed under subsection (a) of this section to the presiding officer of the house of the legislator who is the subject of the complaint.
(2) Based on the information contained in a complaint provided to a presiding officer under paragraph (1) of this subsection, if a presiding officer determines that it is inappropriate for a Joint Ethics Committee member from that house to consider a particular matter, the presiding officer shall appoint a substitute member to the Joint Ethics Committee for its consideration of the matter.
Structure Maryland Statutes
Title 5 - Maryland Public Ethics Law
Subtitle 5 - Conflicts of Interest
Part II - Special Legislative Provisions
Section 5-511 - Application of Part
Section 5-512 - Disqualification -- Presumption of Conflict
Section 5-513 - Suspension of Disqualification
Section 5-514 - Outside Income Relating to State or Local Governmental Entities
Section 5-514.1 - Social Media Links in Official Electronic Legislative Newsletter
Section 5-515 - Joint Ethics Committee -- Written Opinions
Section 5-517 - Confidentiality
Section 5-518 - Review of Complaints
Section 5-519 - Allegation Summary